Been on linux only for about 10 years (though i have a lot! to learn/still a newbie as far as low level and most CLI things). Last five years i have always used PCLinuxOS though i would occasionally briefly try out 3 to 10 distro's in live mode. Then PCLOS latest came out... KDE4... let me count the ways in which i do not like that windows manager. So i did another round of distro hopping and landed on Mint. Everything i hoped for was here. So very slick, intuitive, beautiful and fast as well, everything i didn't like about KDE4, mint/Gnome doesn't seem to have it. It is only been a few days but very very happy with this distro!

Still i am not trying to discredit PCLOS or any distro, they kept me Windows free for a decade! I loved most of their releases and their forum is an amazingly active, friendly and inclusive place, i still enjoy going there. I hope this forum will prove to be just as fun.

Besides Linux i am into Film, RPGs, skateboarding, left leaning politics, sustainability, voluntary frugality, downshifting, the Four Hour Work Week, great design, reading/books/writing, fixie, folding and touring bikes, music (place bass and guitar) and more. I am a bike mechanic and audio visual technician (beamers, lighting, editing and installations by trade. I am in my early thirties and live in The Hague. Good to be here!

Thanks for the welcome you guys. I see you are also quite new to the forum Jesica?

As for work life balance/away from PC time, i fortunate that i can get by on 2 days or work a week. Nevertheless though i have many interests i have been known to spend 2 days straight on my PC trying to grok certain linux things, but that is rare.

Hello v1nce,Welcome to Mint Forum There is a lot of useful information for new and not-so-new users here -> viewtopic.php?f=60&p=302358#p302358We have a Community site http://community.linuxmint.com/For real-time help there are IRC channels,open MintMenu>Internet>XChat and you will be automatically connected to #linuxmint-help and #linuxmint-chatHave fun with Mint

Welcome vince. I spent 1 year in Potato/Woody, then went to Sid (sidux) for about 8 years when I went to 64bit. I came to Mint when KDE4 hit Sid. I had poked at Mint since Mint 4, but installed it for real with Mint 6 and haven't looked back. I'm currently at Mint 9, tho I'll install Mint 10 after I pass my work deadline. I use it as a primary development PC.-Hinto